GASTONIA — Ashbrook might be playing its best basketball of the season right now, and coach Chad Duncan knows that’ll have to continue if the Green Wave wants to beat Hunter Huss Friday.

The longtime rivals square off Friday at Ashbrook but not just for bragging rights in the heated series. First place in the Big South 3A Conference is also on the line at the halfway point of the conference season. Varsity boys tip off is set for approximately 7:45, or after the varsity girls game.

“Obviously they’re bigger than we are,” Duncan said. “They’re very athletic. Jaelan Kennedy, Kerrion Moore, Jerimiah Hunter, O’Brien Curry — those guys are all solid players and they’ve been in the program a while.”

It's the highlight game of a full slate of action (weather permitting).

Hunter Huss (13-2, 5-0 Big South) has won six straight and leads the Big South in scoring at 75.2 points per game. Much of that production comes from Jaelan Kennedy, a 6-foot-4 senior forward who leads the area in scoring at 23.1 points per game. Junior guard Kerrion Moore (16.5 ppg) and senior forward Jerimiah Hunter (13.1 ppg) are also scoring in double figures.

They’ll face a tough defensive team in Ashbrook (10-6, 4-1), which is on a streak of its own with three straight wins since the turn of the calendar. The Green Wave has held Kings Mountain, Forestview and East Gaston to an average of 41 points during that stretch following an appearance in the Leon Brogden Basketball Tournament at UNC Wilmington.

“I think after our long trip down there to Wilmington, the guys realized what we needed to do to be successful,” Duncan said. “They’ve bought into what we’re doing.”

Senior guards Antonio Blalock and Delshon Leach average 11.9 and 11.4 points, respectively, to lead the Green Wave.

Hunter Huss has dominated the series lately, winning the last 10 matchups, including three last season. The Huskies won 76-67 and 70-68 last regular season, then 76-53 in the conference tournament semifinals.

Ashbrook hasn’t won since Jan. 21, 2009, when it pulled out a 65-64 overtime victory at home.

What will the Green Wave need to do to reverse the trend?

“I guess just play as smart as we can and keep doing the things so far that we’ve been doing in 2013,” said Duncan, specifically mentioning good defense and rebounding, smart offense and being strong with the ball.

One thing to watch will be how well each team performs early following a week-long layoff from game action due to the exam break. Ashbrook tried to simulate a game Tuesday to keep the players in shape.

Hunter Huss will be in first place regardless of Friday’s result. A loss, though, would put the Huskies in a tie with Ashbrook while a win would give Huss a two-game cushion.